Flush valve



Dec. 11, 1956 B. HURKO ET AL 2,773,268

FLUSH VALVE Filed June 24, 1954 INVENTORS ea x? M W ld/.MMM 3 BY Ced W az K :u

United States Patent O FLUSH VALVE Bohda Hurko and Elbert P. Robare,Louisville, Ky., as-

signors to American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application June 24, 1954,Serial No. 439,039

9 claims. (Cl. 4-57) This invention relates to a valve and moreparticularly to a valve that is pivotally movable to an open position bya trip lever.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a new and novel valvethat may be adapted for use in a flush tank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve member with atime delay means operable to maintain said valve member in an openposition.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve member which willpositively seat on the valve face and operate in a silent manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve member which ismore easily moved to an open position so that a shorter trip lever maybe used.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve that iseconomical in manufacture, simple in construction, and reliable andefficient in operation.

Other objects will become apparent from time to time throughout thespecification and the claims as hereinafter related.

In the accompanying drawings to be taken as part of this specification,there is clearly and fully illustrated one preferred embodiment of thisinvention in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation and partly in Vertical section ofthe flush valve secured to a flush tank and in a closed position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the flush valve in a closed position,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the flush valve in an open position,

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the flush valve in open position,but with certain parts broken away and in section, and

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2 of theactuating unit float member.

The flush valve assembly generally designated by the numeral 1 isadapted to be positioned within a flush tank. The flush tank is notshown in full view in any of the figures; however, the bottom wall 2 ofa flush tank is shown in section in Pigs. l, 2, and 4. The flush tankbottom wall 2 has an upper inner surface 3, a lower exterior surface 4,and an outlet aperture 5 therethrough. Positioned in the outlet aperture5 is a valve seat member 6 which h'as a ring-like body portion 7. Thebody portion 7 has an upper edge portion 8 that serves as a valve seat.The outer circumferential dimension of the body portion 7 is slightlysmaller than the circumferential dimension of the flush tank bottom walloutlet aperture 5 and the valve seat member 6 is inserted therein. Thebody portion 7 has an annular outwardly extending fiange or lip portion9 that is in overlying relation with the flush tank bottom wall 2. Theannular fiange portion 9 has a pair of threaded supporting memberapertures 10 therethrough. The body portion 7 has a plurality ofinwardly extending flanges 11 which have Vertical apertures 12therethrough. The apertures 12 have frustro conically shaped ice endportions 13. An o-ring sealing means 14 is positioned between the tankbottom wall upper surface 3 and the underside of the outwardly extendingfiange 9. A plurality of fastening lugs 15 which have threaded apertures16 therethrough are positioned abutting the outer surface 4 of the flushtank bottom wall 2 and adjacent to the aperture 5 with their apertures16 aligned with the apertures 12. Screws 17 having frustro conical headsare inserted in the inwardly extending fiange portion apertures 12 andare threaded into the fastening lug apertures 16. When the screws 17 arerotated, the fastening lugs 15 are pulled up against the bottom surface4 of the tank bottom wall 2 and subsequent rotation of the screws willpull the valve seat member outwardly extending fiange 9 toward the tankbottom wall inner surface 3. The O-ring 14 will be compressed betweenthe outwardly extending fiange 9 and the tank bottom wall 2, thusforming a sealing means between the valve seat member 6 and the flushtank bottom wall 2. It should be noted with this type of valve seatmember and the method of securing the same to a flush tank bottom wallthat this flush valve assembly may be substituted as a replacement unitin any flush tank having a bottom wall aperture substantially the samesize as the valve seat member and permit the attachment of the valveseat member 6 without punching bolt apertures through the tank bottomwall 2.

A supporting member 18 is secured to the valve seat member 6. Thesupporting member 18 is channel shaped and has a body portion 19 and apair of side wall portions 20 which are parallel to each other and havea pair of aligned apertures 21 through their upper end portions. Theside walls 20 have outwardly extending bottom fiange portions 22 withapertures 23 therethrough. The body portion 19 has a cut-away upper edgeportion 24 operable to permit rotation of the actuating unit between theside wall portions 20. The supporting member 18 is positioned with theside wall outwardly extending fiange apertures 23 in alignment With thevalve seat member outwardly extending fiange apertures 10. A pair ofscrews 25 threadedly secure the supporting member 18 to the valve seatmember 6 so that the supporting member extends substantially normal tothe tank bottom wall 2.

An actuating unit generally designated by the numeral 26 is pivotallysecured to the supporting member 18. For clarity in description of theactuating unit, the unit will be described as having a bell crank leverportion 27 which has an arm 28 extending substantially parallel to `thetank bottom wall 2. Secured at one end of the arm 28 is another arm 29which extends at an acute angle to the arm 28. The arm 28 has adownwardly extending cylindrical end portion 30 with a Vertical aperture31 therethrough. The arm 28 has a pivot aperture 32 therethrough at itsother end. The aperture 32 is transverse to the longitudinal axis of thearm 28 and in a substantially horizontal plane. The arm 28 has adownwardly extending end portion 33 which functions as a top member byengagement with the supporting member portion 19 as shown in Fig. 4. Thearm 28 has reinforcing rib portions 34 extending therefrom which addrigidity to the structure. A hollow container 35 which is cylindrical inshape and has an open upper end 36 and a closed lower end or bottom wall37 is secured to the arm member 29 with the closed end 37 adjacent thetank bottom wall 2 and its longitudinal axis substantially parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the arm 29. The container 35 has an aperture 38extending through its bottom wall 37. The container 35 also has anaperture 39 in its side wall substantially adjacent to the open end 36.The aperture 39 is positioned in the side wall away from the arm 29. Afloat member 40 is secured to an end portion of the arm 29 with itslongitudinal axis substantially normal to the amazes 3 iongitudinal axisof the container 35 and positioned above the arm end portion 30. The arm29 has reinforcing ribs :1 which are operrtblc to strengthen thesecurement of the container 35 to the arm 29. The arm 29 has otherreinforcing ribs 42 which strengthen the securement between thecontainer 35, float 40, and arm 29. It should be understood that theactuating unit 26 is a unitary structure which is preferably cast from aplastic or noncorrosive material in one piece and the description of thevarious parts of this unit is not to be construed to signify that eachmember is individually constructed and subsequently secured to eachother.

A dish-shaped valve member 43 having an upturned or outward divergingbottom annular surface 44 is positioned in overlyng relation to thevalve seat member 6 with the upturned bottom annular surface 44 abuttingthe upper edge portion 8. The valve member 43 is constructed of aresilient material such as rubber which permits the valve member 43 topositively seat on the valve seat member 6 and prevent flow of liquidtherethrough. The valve member 43 has a frustro conical upwardlyextending central portion 45 and a plurality of radially extending ribmembers 46. The rib members 46 extend from the outer surface of thefrustro conical portion 45 to the inner surface of the dish-shaped valveportion. The frustro conical portion 45 has a cylindrical cavity 47 witha side wall 48 and a bottom wall 49. The cavity 47 opens into the topsurface of the frustro conical portion 45. The side walls 48 have spacedcircumferential recesses therein. An insert member 50 is positioned inthe cavity 47. The insert member 50 has rib side walls 51 which securethe insert member in the cavity 47 by the rib side walls 51 extendinginto the spaced circumferential recesses. The insert member 50 has acentral longitudinal threaded aperture 52 therein. The valve member 43is positioned so that the insert member aperture 52 is aligned with theactuating unit lower arm end portion aperture 31. A bolt member 53 isinserted through the aperture 31 and is threadedly secured in aperture52, thereby securing the valve member 43 to the actuating unit 26. Theactuating unit 26 is so positioned that the pivot aperture 32 is alignedwith and between the apertures 21 in the side walls of the supportingmembers 18. A bolt or pivot pin 54 extends through these alignedapertures and pivotally secures the actuating unit 26 to the supportingmember 18. A nut 55 retains the bolt 54 in position. The bolt member 54functions as a fulcrum for the lever arms 28 and 29.

A lever member 56 is positioned within the flush tank and is connectedto an actuating arm positioned on the outside of the tank and operableupon rotation or actuation to move the lever in a counter-clockwise orupward direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The lever member56 has an aperture 57 through its end portion adjacent the actuatingunit 26, but on the opposite side of the pivot pin 54 from the valvemember 43. A lift strip 58 is a Connecting means between the actuatingunit 26 and the lever member 56. The lift strip 58 is constructed of afiexible material such as neoprene plastic or the like and has endportions 59 and 60. The end portion 59 has a plurality of spacedcircumferential recesses 61 therein that act as an adjustment means. Theend portion 60 has a pair of spaced annular rib members 62 that securethe end portion 60 in the container member aperture 39. Since the liftstrip 58 is constructed of a flexible material, the end portion 59 maybe inserted at any desired distance in the lever aperture 57 and will besecured therein by means of one of the spaced annular recesses. Thusupon movement of the lever member 56 the lift strip 58 will exert arotative force on the actuating unit 26 which will in turn open thevalve member 43.

Operation Although not shown in the drawings, it is to be understoodthat the flush tank has an independent liquid inlet means that operatesto fill the flush tank with liquid to the level B-B as shown in Fig. 2.When the tank is empty, the valve member 43 will remain in a normallyclosed position due to the Weight of the valve member 43 and actuatingunit 26 being on the side of the pivot pin 54 adjacent the outletaperture 5 thereby urging the valve member 43 against the valve seatmember 6. As the liquid enters the tank, the various forces or Weightsurging the valve member 43 toward a closed position Will change. Theliquid above the valve member 43 will exert a downward closing forcethereon and urge the valve member 43 toward closed position. The weightof the container 35 urging the valve toward a closed position will bethe weight of liquid displaced by the container 35. The float member 40being hollow will displace a volume of liquid equal to its Volume andwill urge the valve member 43 toward an open position away from thevalve seat member 6. The actuating unit 26 and valve member 43 areconstructed so that the forces urging the valve member 43 toward aclosed position are greater than the forces tending to open the valvemember when the tank is filled with liquid to the level B B. Therefore,the valve member 43 will remain in a normally closed position both whenthe tank is empty or when the tank is filled with liquid to a level B-B.To actuate or open the valve member 43, the lever 56 is moved in adirection indicated in Fig. 2. This movement will be transmitted throughthe fiexible lift strip 58 to the actuating unit 26. This actuatingmovement will rotate the actuating unit 26 slightly about the pivot pin54. This movement of the actuating unit is sufficient to permit theupward force of the float member 40 to exceed the forces tending toclose the valve member 43. The fiexible strip 58 permits free openingmovement of the valve member 43 relative to the lever 56. Thus, thebuoyant force of the float member 40 rotates the flush valve assembly 1to an open position. Since the various valve closing and opening forcesare approximately equal, a slight movement of the lever arm 56 Oropening of the valve member 43 will be suflicient to change the balanceof forces in favor of an opening movement of the valve. This is one ofthe advantageous features of this invention. Since the actuationmovement of the lever is slight a much shorter trip lever may be usedwhich in quantity production would mean a' substantial saving inmaterial. It should be noted at this point that during the openingrotative movement the downward force of the container 35 moves beyondthe pivot pin 54 away from the outlet aperture 5 and instead of nowurging the valve member 43 toward a closed position it urges the valvemember toward an open position. When the valve member 43 has moved t o afull open position wherein the lever arm stop portion 33 abuts the innersurface of the supporting member body portion 19, the center of gravityof the float member remains on the side of the pivot pin 54 adjacent theoutlet aperture 5. Upon the opening of the valve member 43, the liquidin the tank will leave through the aperture 5. When the liquid level hasdecreased in the tank to the level C C indicated in Fig. 4, the force ofthe float member 40 will have changed from an upward buoyant forcetending to open the valve to a downward force equal to its Weighttending to close the valve member. However, to overcome this addedclosing force, the weight of the container increases due to the level ofliquid decreasing around the container 35 at a greater rate than thedecrease of liquid within the container. This difference in rate ofliquid level decrease is due to 'the differences in area between thetank outlet aperture 5 and the container outlet aperture 38. Thus, thevalve member 43 remains in an open position while the tank issubstantially emptied of liquid. The valve 43 remaining open until allthe liquid is emptied therefrom is due to a time delay means which isincorporated in the flush valve assembly 1. This time delay means is thecontainer 35 with the outlet aperture 38 therein. The amount of timewherein the valve will remain in an open position is dependent on thesize of the container outlet aperture 38. If a time delay is desiredsufiicient to maintain the valve in an open position only until the tankis emptied of liquid, the area of the container aperture 38 is such thatthe container 35 will substantially empty at the same time the fiushtank empties. If a longer time delay in closing the valve is desired,the area of the aperture 38 is decreased proportionately.

When the level of liquid in the container 35 has decreased to a pointwhere the closing force of the valve member 43 and the closing force ofthe float member 40 exceed the opening force of the container 35, thevalve member assembly l will rotate about the pivot pin 54 and move thevalve member 43 into a closed position abutting the valve seat member 6assuming, of course, that the lever 56 has been released and permittedto return to valve closed position. Thus, the flush valve assembly 1will again be in the same normally closed position as heretoforedescribed and the tank may again be filled with liquid and the valvemember 43 will remain closed until the lever member 56 is againactuated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and is desired tobe secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a flushing apparatus, a tank having a bottom wall with an aperturetherethrough torming a valve seat therein, said tank being adapted tocontain a liquid and having a pivot connection therein spacedhorizontally from said aperture, a valve assembly comprising a valvemember and a valve actuating means, said valve member positioned inoverlying relation to said Valve seat and operable to control thedischarge of liquid from said tank, said valve actuating meanscomprising a bell crank lever with a first arm extending in asubstantially horizontal plane and a second arm extending upwardly fromand at an acute angle to said first arm, said bell crank lever having afloat member secured thereto, a container having an open end and aclosed end with an aperture therethrough, said container being securedto said second arm with said closed end adjacent to said tank bottomwall, said valve member being secured to said first arm, said bell cranklever being pivotally secured to said tank pivot connection so that thecenter of gravity of said valve assembly is in overlying relation tosaid valve seat when said tank and said container are substantiallyfilled with liquid thereby urging said valve member toward a closedposition, and means to pivotally rotate said bell crank lever so thatthe center of gravity of said valve assembly will move to the oppositeside of said pivot connection away from said valve seat thus maintainingsaid valve member in an open position, said valve assembly beingoperable upon decrease in liquid level in said container to urge saidvalve member toward a closed position.

2. In a flushing apparatus, a tank having an upward facing outlet, avalve member seatable on said outlet, a lever secured to said valvemember, pivot means for said lever, a counterweight secured to saidlever, means to decrease the weight of said counterweight, saidcounterweight being initially positioned to urge said valve membertoward a closed position, actuating means operable to rotate said leverabout said pivot means so that said counterweight urges said valvemember toward an open position, said valve member being maintained in anopen position until the weight of said counterweight decreases apredeternined amount thereupon said lever being operable to rotate aboutsaid pivot means and seat said valve member in a closed position.

3. In a flushing apparatus, a tank having an upward facing outlet, avalve member seatable on said outlet, a lever secured to said valvemember, pivot means for said lever, a float secured to said lever, acounterweight se cured to said lever, means to decrease the weight ofsaid counterweight, said counterweight being initially positioned tourge said valve member toward a closed posi tion, actuating meansoperable to rotate said lever about said pivot means so that saidcounterweight and said float urge said valve member toward an openposition, said valve member being maintained in an open position untilthe weight of the counterweight is decreased a predetermined amountthereupon said lever being operable to rotate about said pivot means andseat said valve member in a closed position.

4. In a flushing apparatus, a tank having an upward facing outlet, avalve member seatable on said outlet, a lever secured to said valvemember, pivot means for said lever, means to rotate said lever aboutsaid pivot means to open said valve member, a container secured to saidlever and having an open top and a drain opening at its lower end, saidcontainer being positioned below the liquid level in said tank, a floatcarried by said lever and positioned below the liquid level in saidtank, said float acting by buoyant force to hold said valve member openupon opening of said valve member, said container being moved to theopposite side of said pivot means upon opening of said valve member andacting by weight of liquid therein to hold said valve member open upondecrease of the buoyant force of said float, the combined weight of saidfloat and said valve member acting upon drainage of liquid from saidcontainer to move said valve member to closed position.

5. In a flushing apparatus, a flush tank having a bottom wall with anaperture therethrough, a valve seat member having an annular bodyportion with an annular fiange portion extending outwardly therefrom,said body portion having a plurality of inwardly extending securingportions with apertures therethrough, said valve seat member beingpositioned in said bottom wall aperture with said outwardly extendingflange portion abutting the inner surface of said tank bottom wall, aplurality of lug members having apertures therethrough, said lug membersabutting the outer surface of said tank bottom Wall and having theirapertures aligned with respective apertures in said valve seat memberinwardly extending securing portions, means extending through saidaligned apertures and securing said valve seat member to said flush tankbottom wall, a resilient dish-shaped valve member positioned inoverlying relation to said valve seat member, said valve member havingan outwardly diverging outer surface abutting said valve seat memberbody portion and operable to control flow of liquid therethrough, saidvalve member having a frustro conical central portion extending upwardlytherefrom, a plurality of rib members extending radially from saidcentral portion and secured to the side walls of said dish-shaped valvemember thereby adding rigidity to said valve member, said centralportion having a central Vertical threaded aperture therein, asupporting member secured to said valve seat member annular fiange andextending substantially normal thereto; an actuating unit comprising alever member having a first arm portion and a second arm portion, saidfirst arm portion being pivotally secured to said supporting membersubstantially at one end and extcnding in a plane substantially parallelto said tank bottom wall, said first arm portion having a Verticalaperture therethrough aligned with said valve member central aperture,means extending through said last named aligned apertures and securingsaid valve member to said first arm portion, said first arm portionhaving a downwardly extending stop portion adjacent said supportingmember, said stop portion being operable to prevent rotation of saidactuating unit beyond a predetermined degree of rotation, said secondarm portion extending upwardly and at an acute angle to said first armportion, a float member secured to said second arm portion andpositioned in overlying relation to said valve member, a containerhaving an open end and a closed end with an aperture therethrough, saidcontainer being securcd to said second arm portion with said closed endadjacent said tank bottom wall, a lever member seeurcd to said flushtank and operable to be rotated by manual operation, and a flexibleConnecting means secured to said lever member and said container, saidlever member being operable upon rotation to unseat said valve memberand said float member being operable when said flush lank issubstantially filled with liquid to rotate said actuating unit aboutsaid supporting member until said stop portion abuts said supportingmember. said een tainer being operable to maintain said actuating unitin said last named position for a predetermined time and the weight ofsaid actuating unit and said valve member being operable to rotate saidvalve member to a closed position upon the expiration of saidpredetermined time. 6. In a flush valve, a valve seat member, asupporting member extending upward from said seat member, a bellcranklever pivoted on said supporting member, a valve member carried by onearm of said lever and seatable on said seat member, a container mountedon the other arm of said lever and urging said valve member toward saidseat member, said container having an open top and a drain opening atits lower end, and means to move said lever to position said containerto urge said valve member toward open position.

7. In a flush valve, a valve seat member, a supporting member extendingupward from said seat member, a bellcrank lever pivoted on saidsupporting member, a valve member carried by one arm of said lever andseatable on said seat member, a container mounted on the other arm ofsaid lever and urging said valve member toward said seat member, saidcontainer having an open top and a drain opening at its lower end, meansto move said lever to position said container to urge said valve membertoward open position, and a float carried by said other arm in overlyingrelation to said valve member.

8. `In a flush valve, a valve seat member, a supporting member extendingupward from said seat member, abellcrank lever pivoted on saidsupporting member, a -valve member carried by one arm of said lever andseatable on said seat member, a container mounted on the other arm ofsaid lever and urging said valve member toward said seat member, saidcontainer having an open -top and a drain opening at its lower end,means to move said lever to position said container to urge said valvemember toward open position and means on said lever cooperable with saidsupporting member to limit opening movement of said valve member.

9. In a flush valve, a valve seat member, a supporting member extendingupward from said seat member, a lever having arms, means pivotallysupporting said lever intermediate its ends on said supporting member,one arm of said lever extending over said valve seat member, a valvemember mounted on said member, an upwardly inelined portion of itslength on the valve member side of said pivot means, and a float carriedby said other lever arm and positioned in overlying relation to saidvalve member and below the upper end of said container when said valvemember is closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

